146 



THE COMMON DASYURE. 



which the Choeropus is nearly allied. The ears are very large in pro- 

 portion to the size of the animal. The pouch opens backward. 



The food of the Choeropus is said to be of a mixed character, and to 

 consist of various vegetable substances and of insects. 



The teeth of the Dasyurines, sharp-edged and pointed, indicate the 

 carnivorous character of those animals to which they belong. 



In the Common Dasyure the general color of the fur is brown, of 

 a very dark hue, sometimes deepening into positive black, diversified 



•^iss^ ''-■^V'"^^^**^>«M^*^%'^Vf^7^^W'* ^^^^ many spots of white, 



scattered apparently at 

 random over the whole of 

 the body, and varying 

 in both their position and 

 dimensions in almost 

 every individual. In 

 some specimens the tail is 

 washed with white spots 

 similar to those of the 

 body, but in many ex- 

 amples is uniformly dark. 

 In all the Dasyures this 

 member is moderately 

 long, but not prehensile, 

 and is thickly covered 

 with hair — a peculiarity 

 which has caused zool- 

 hair-tail," to these animals. 

 This species is the animal which is known in Australia by the popular 

 name of Native Cat. 



They are all inhabitants of Australasia, the Common Dasyure being 

 found numerously enough in New Holland, Van Diemen's Land, and 

 some parts of Australia. The habits of all the Dasyures are so very 

 similar that there is no need of describing them separately. They 

 are all rather voracious animals, feeding upon the smaller quadrupeds, 

 birds, insects, and other living beings which inhabit the same country. 

 The Dasyure is said to follow the example of several allied animals, 

 and to be fond of roaming along the sea-coasts by night in search of 

 food. 



The Dasyures are all nocturnal animals, and very seldom make 

 voluntary excursions from their hiding-places so long as the sun is 

 above the horizon. They do not, like the Tasmanian wolf and the 

 Ursine Dasyure, lie hidden in burrows under the earth, or in the depths 

 of rocky ground, but follow the example of the Petaurists, and make 

 their habitations in the hollovvs of decayed trees. 



The Dasyure {Dasyurus mverrinus). 

 ogists to give the title of Dasvure, or 



